Friday Five Excitement!

All things bookish and writerly this week:

1. I read two FAB YA books recently: Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors (magical realism done right, along with a sideplot that deals with a family's financial problems--a rarity in YA) and The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting (OK, I read every word, but it felt like I ran through this book--I needed to know how it would end. This is a true thriller.) Check them out.

2. Our local librarians have done a fantastic job with our library's YA section. They've turned it into a total hangout, complete with chaise lounges and comfy rugs and good lighting. The teens want to spend time there, and they do. The next town over has a separate library set up just for YA literature! This makes me happy.

3. I was speaking with a friend who I hadn't seen in a while. When I mentioned I was writing YA, this person said, "Oh, good choice. Those are the easiest books to write and the most lucrative." I kept my mouth shut (probably because I was choking on my gum), but you could imagine the things running through my head. I hate everything a statement like this implies! What I ended up saying was, "Yeah, you're right. Maybe you should try it sometime." I guess that was kind of passive-aggressive, but, oh, well...

4. I love Twitter, but...I think I'm going to establish "dark periods" where I log off the Internet and devote that time to writing. Twitter is awesome, but the constant interaction is too alluring for a conversation starved writer. Writing can be lonesome endeavor, and for me, it needs to be if I want to do it right. So far fewer tweets from me, at least until I finish this book!

5. Check out Lisa and Laura's blog today for a guest post by Ms. Booksniper, the mysterious publishing insider whose fantastic and informative blog is just getting off the ground. She's funny and charming and in-the-know. I just wish I could figure out who she is....

Have a great weekend, everyone!